Workbench for power tools



May 11, 1943. H. H. WEHRINGER 2,319,025

4 WORK BENCH FOR POWER TOOLS Filed March 24, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 11, 1943.

H. H. WEHRINGER WORK BENCH FOR POWER TOOLS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1942 000 000 g m 0/; a 808 v 9 s r -02 o sz 0 2 QQQ fl INVENTOR. jzrmmziimizjin er;

O ATTORNEY.

May 11,, 1.943. H. H. WEHRlNGER WORK BENCH FOR. POWER 'EQOLS Filedllarch24, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR. .7121? arzldfifizjiryefl ATTORNEY.

Patented May 11, 1943 2,319,025 WORKBENCHYFOR POWER TOOLS Herman H. Wehringer, Montclair, N. J.

Application March 24, 1942, Serial No. 435,985

3 Claims. (Cl. 248--2) This invention relates to improvements in work-benches for power tools; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a work bench having a rotatably reversible hollow top, each face of which is available for the attachment.

thereto and mounting thereon of one or more individual power tools; selected tools thus mounted being adapted to be brought into position for use by turning the bench top to dispose uppermost that surface thereof which carries the particular tool or tools desired to be used.

This invention has for an object to provide a novel construction of work-bench comprising end-frames, including the bench legs, and a rotatably reversible top mounted between said endframes, manipulatable means being provided to releaseably secure said top with a selected face thereof uppermost; wherein said reversible top is of hollow form' to provide spaced top portions, each available for the attachment thereto and mounting thereon of one or more individual power tools, and said hollowtop having removable side members which, when removed, give access to the inner or under faces of said top portions, whereby to permit application and manipulation of fastening devices used to secure the mounted tools to said top portions.

The invention has for a further object to provide a work bench having a rotatably reversible top for the purposes mentioned, which is so con- 5;

str'ucted and arranged that the parts thereof may be disassembled for storage and shipment, and yet may be easily and quickly assembled and set up by the user with the aid of simple toolssncb as a screw-driver and wrench.

is a. plan view of the work-bench with its top positioned as shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the work-bench with its top positioned as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the work-bench, similar -to that of Fig. 3, but showing its top rotatably reversed to dispose other tools in position for use; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the workbench with its top positioned as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the work-benchfwith its top disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1, and showing a side of said top removed to give access to the interior of the top, whereby to permit application and manipulation of fastening devices used to secure the mounted tools to the top portions.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the work-bench structure, with parts broken away; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the same.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive thereof, an illustrative embodiment of the work-bench according to this invention, as therein shown, comprises a pair of end-frames of suitable width, each formed by a top crosspiece l0 supported at its ends by legs H of suitable height, said legs being braced in any suitable manner, but preferably by a cross brace piece l2 secured thereto and extending between at a point adjacent to the lower end portions thereof. Said end-frames are opposed in longitudinally spaced apart relation at a distance suitable to provide a desired given length of workbench, and are tied together by longitudinal tiepieces l3 secured to and between their legs Ii, preferably at points adjacent to the lower'end portions of the latter.

The top member of the work-bench is formed by a pair of longitudinally opposed transverse end pieces 14 of suitable height and length. to the inner sides of which are aflixe'd sleeper members i5, preferably of a height to support top face orfiool members flush with the longitudinal margins of said end pieces, as will presently appear. If desired, one or more additional sleeper members I6 may be provided intermediate the end .sleeper members l 5. The top member is provided with oppositely presented face or floor members X and Y spaced apart by said sleeper members by which the same are supported. and to which they are affixed. Said face or floor members may comprise a single member of suitable length and width; but preferably are formed by two or more sections l1 laid side by side to extend over the sleeper members and between the end pieces l4. Said sections I! are aflixed in place by screws I8. which, at least, are engaged through their ends, preferably so as to screw into the underlying sleeper members l5 Extending longitudinally of the top member, and through the sleeper members I5-l6, in a central position intermediate its sides, and between its spaced face or floor members X and Y, is a pivoting shaft it which may optionally be of either solid or tubular form, the opposite end portions of which project through and exteriorly beyond the end pieces it, whereby to provide journal portions 20. Said journal portions 20 are suitably supported so as to turn on the cross-pieces 10 of the bench end frames, being preferably held in place relative thereto by cap-pieces l which overlie said cross-pieces l6 and straddle said journal portions 20; said cap pieces being detachably secured to the crosspieces by fastening screws 2i. As thus mounted on and between the end frames, said top member is rotatably reversible, whereby either face or floor member X or Y thereof may optionally be upwardly presented.

The top member, as thus constructed, is of hollow form having open sides. Said open sides are normally closed by detachable side members 22. secured thereto by fastening screws 23.

Manipulatable means are providedior releastop member are capable of being separated or ably securing the top member in selected disposition accordingly as it may be desired to upwardly present either of its face or floor member X or. its face or floor member Y. In one illustrative form of such top member securing means, the same comprise a pair of slide bolts 24 affixed to each end frame to oppose bolt receiving sockets 25 and 25' with which the opposite end portions of each top member end pieces it are provided. Said sockets 25 are so disposed as to receive the bolts 24 when the top member is turned to upwardly present its face or floor member X, while the sockets 25' are so disposed as to receive said bolts 24 when the top member is turned to upwardly present its face or floor member Y; in either case, and when entered in said sockets, the bolts firmly and securely retain the top member against rotation about the axis of its pivoting shaft l9.

In the described work-bench construction, the face or floor members X and Y may be utilized to mount a plurality of different power tools, one or more of selected tools being mounted on one such face or floor member, and one or more different tools being mounted on the other face or floor member, whereby a given tool so carried may be brought into service position by rotating the top member to upwardly present the face or floor member thereof by which such given tool is carried. As shown in the drawings, to illustrate this arrangement and use of the power tool supporting work bench, the face or floor member X supports a lathe L, a grinder G, and a polishing or bumng machine B, while the face or floor member Y supports a sanding machine S and a planer P. It will be obvious, however, that any other selection and arrangement of tools may be utilized.

The tools are respectively secured to the face or floor member by which they are to be carried by means of through anchor bolts 28 and cooperating nuts 21. Application of thwe anchor bolts and nuts may be easily and quickly accomplished, the operations being facilitated due to the hollow form of the work bench top member whereby the face or floor members thereof are spaced apart so that easy access to their inner sides may be had. As shown in Fig. 6, to mount and secure a given tool to a face or floor member, one or both side members 22 are removed, thus giving access to the interior sides of the face or floor members so that the fastening nuts 21 may be applied to the anchor bolts 16, by which said tool is tobe secured, and then turned home against knocked down by removing the screws or like fastening means by which they are secured together in operative assembled relation. It will, therefore, be obvious, that the work bench may be knocked down or disassembled, and the parts thereof readily packed together in small bulk for storage and shipment, while nevertheless bein capable of easy assembly and setting up by the user with the aid of simple tools such as a screwdriver and wrench.

The illustrative form of this invention, as shown in Figs/ 1 to 6 inclusive, the parts of the structure, with the exception of the pivoting shaft l 9, may be made of wood or similar material, in predetermined forms ready for quick and easy assembly.

Referring to Figs. '7 and 8 of the drawings, there is illustrated thereby a somewhat modified work bench construction within the principles of this invention. In this modified form, the end-frames include metallic cross-pieces of angular crosssection to provide a top flange 30 and perpendicular bearing flange 3|, the latter having a bearing opening to receive the journal portions 20 of the shaft M by which the hollow top member is rotatably mounted for reversal. The topmember, in said modified construction, also includes transverse metallic end pieces 32, having inwardly projecting flanges 33 along their longitudinal margins. The face or floor members X and Y each comprise one or more sections 34, the end portions of which are engaged in abutting relation to the inner sides 'of said flanges 33, being thereupon secured thereto by bolts 35, and so as to space said face or floor members one from the other to provide the hollow form of top mem-- bers characteristic of thenovel work bench structure according to this invention. Detachable side members 38 are provided, for closing the sides of the hollow top member, the same beingnormally secured in place by screws 31, which engage in the bodies of the face or floor members X and Y. In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, there is also disclosed a modified form of latch means for releasably securing the top member in selected disposition accordingly as it may be desired to upwardly present either of its face or floor members X or Y and the particular tools mounted thereon. Said modified latch means comprise turn buttons or latches 38 pivotally mounted on the top flanges 30 of the end frame cross-pieces; the same being preferably provided at one of their ends with finger pieces 39 to facilitate manipulation thereof, while the opposite end portions thereof may, when suitably manipulated, be turned into and out of slots 40 provided in the adjacent walls of the top member end pieces I! for their reception, whereby when engaged in selected slots 40, the top member is firmly held in a position to upwardly present either its face or floor member X or its face or floor member Y as the case may be.

I am aware that various changes could be made in the constructions above described, and that many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a- I said end frames, said top member having oppositely presented outwardly facing and spaced apart flat plane floor portions upon each of which selected tools may be mounted and seopposite floor portion are suspended beneath the top member in out of service position.

'2. A work bench for mounting a plurality of selectively usable power or other tools comprising a pair of end frames, a rotatably reversible rectangular hollow top member extending between said end frames, said top member including transverse end pieces and oppositely presented outwardly facing and spaced apart flat plane floor portions removably secured to and between said end pieces, upon each of which floor portions selected tools may be mounted and secured, said top member having detachable side members, removal of which gives access to the interior faces of said floor portions for the manipulation of means utilized to anchor tools to said floor portions, a pivoting shaft extending centrally and longitudinally through said top member, said shaft having Journal portions projecting through and beyond the top member end pieces and Journaled in said end frames, and releasable holding means carried by said end frames, said top member end pieces having selectively ,usable means to receive engagement of said holding means for optionally securing the top member to upwardly present a selected floor portion thereof and the tool or tools mounted thereon, whereby to dispose the latter in position for use, while the tool or tools mounted on the opposite floor portion are suspended beneath the top member in out of service position.

3. A work bench for mounting a plurality of selectively usable power or other tools comprising a pair of end frames each including a metallic cross-piece of angular cross-section to provide a top flange and a bearing flange dependent therefrom, a rotatably reversible rectangular hollow top member including channeled metallic end pieces providing vertically spaced inwardly projecting flanges along theirlongitudinal margins, said top member having oppositely presented outwardly facing and spaced apart floor portions extending in flat plane between said end pieces, ends of said respective floor portions underlying and adapted to be removably secured to said end piece flanges, upon each of which floor portions selected tools may be mounted and secured, a pivoting shaft extending centrally and longitudinally through said top member, said shaft having journal portions projecting through and beyond the top member end pieces and joumaled in the adjacent bearing flanges of said end frame cross-pieces, said top member having detachable side members, removal of which gives access to the interior faces of said floor portions for the manipulation of means utilized to anchor tools to said floor portions, and releaseable holding means carried by said end frame cross-pieces, said top member end pieces having selectively usable means to receive engagement of said holding means for optionally securing the top'member to upwardly present a selected floor portion thereof and the tool or tools mounted. thereon, while the tool or tools mounted on the- HERMAN H. WEHRlNGER. 

